Seamless Cluster Service Migration via Subgroup Segmentation

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing computer systems face challenges in efficiently migrating and upgrading services across nodes, particularly in distributed environments, where stateful and stateless clusters require seamless transitions with minimal disruption and resource overhead.

Innovation Solution

The approach involves progressively migrating source computer nodes by grouping them into subgroups, scheduling the creation of target subgroups, and activating them only after deactivating the source subgroups, allowing for efficient resource reuse and minimal disruption during software upgrades or service migrations.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If services are migrated from source computer nodes to target computer nodes in a distributed environment, then service continuity and minimal user disruption are achieved, but system complexity and resource overhead increase

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveservice continuityVSAvoidsystem complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent segments the computer nodes into source subgroups and target subgroups, allowing incremental migration of services from source to target nodes. This segmentation enables controlled migration where services are transferred in manageable units rather than all at once, maintaining service continuity while managing system complexity through phased transitions.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The patent creates target subgroups before deactivating source subgroups, ensuring that target nodes are ready to immediately assume services when source nodes are deactivated. This preliminary preparation of target infrastructure prevents service disruption and maintains reliability during the migration process.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

2Productivity

If source computer nodes are deactivated and target subgroups are created, then resource reuse and efficiency are improved, but migration time and operational complexity increase

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveresource reuse efficiencyVSAvoidmigration time

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The patent implements periodic migration by deactivating source subgroups and activating corresponding target subgroups in sequential phases. This periodic approach allows the system to migrate services in structured intervals, enabling resource reuse while managing migration time through controlled, incremental transitions rather than attempting complete migration simultaneously.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #19Periodic action

Solution Approach 2:

The patent deactivates source subgroups after their services have been successfully migrated to target subgroups, thereby recovering and releasing the source nodes for reuse. This discarding and recovering mechanism improves resource efficiency by making previously occupied nodes available for new assignments while maintaining service continuity through the target subgroups.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #34Discarding and recovering

3Quantity of substance

If target subgroups are created only after source subgroups are deactivated, then resource overhead is reduced, but service migration flexibility and responsiveness decrease

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveresource overheadVSAvoidmigration flexibility

Core Design Contradiction:

Quantity of substanceVSAdaptability or versatility

Solution Approach 1:

The patent implements dynamic migration by allowing the system to adapt the timing and sequencing of target subgroup creation based on service requirements and system state. The scheduler can dynamically adjust when to create target subgroups relative to source subgroup deactivation, providing flexibility in managing resource overhead while responding to changing service demands and maintaining migration adaptability.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

Data Source

PatentUS9876878B2Seamless cluster servicing

Publication Date: 2018.01.23 MICROSOFT TECHNOLOGY LICENSING LLC

AI summary

Embodiments are directed to progressively migrating source computer nodes where the source computer nodes perform a computer-implemented service. In one embodiment, a computer system determines that execution of the performed service is to be migrated from the source computer nodes to target computer nodes. The computer system groups the source computer nodes into multiple source subgroups, where each source subgroup includes at least one source computer node. The computer system then schedules creation of target subgroups of target nodes. These target subgroups include at least one source computer node and, themselves, correspond to a source subgroup. The computer system activates a first target subgroup corresponding to a first source subgroup, and deactivates the first source subgroup. In this manner, the first target subgroup replaces the first source subgroup. Still further, the target subgroups are scheduled to be created only after the first source subgroup has been deactivated.